Sue Rodriguez looks at a photo of her grandson, Christopher Barrios Jr. She stood up in court when Peggy Edenfield’s sister complained about her sister’s defense. “What about Christopher?” Rodriguez wanted to know.

BRUNSWICK - A judge sentenced Peggy Edenfield to 60 years in prison Thursday after she pleaded guilty to five of eight charges in the sexual abuse slaying of 6-year-old Christopher Michael Barrios Jr. four years ago.

The state dismissed two felony murder charges as part of the negotiated plea made over objections from Christopher's father, Mike Barrios, and grudging acceptance from Christopher's paternal grandmother, Sue Rodriguez.

Edenfield, 62, pleaded guilty but mentally retarded to false imprisonment, child molestation for masturbating while Christopher was molested and choked to death, second-degree cruelty to children, concealing the death of another and tampering with evidence. A second child molestation count was merged into the one she pleaded guilty to.

Superior Court Judge Stephen Scarlett, at the recommendation of prosecutors, sentenced her to the maximum on each charge, which adds up to 60 years in prison.

Edenfield, who a state psychologist said has an IQ of 62, made the last-minute plea deal during what was to have been her final hearing before her trial beginning Sept. 26.

Immediately after Scarlett imposed the sentence, Peggy Edenfield's sister, Sharon Phillips jumped up in the audience and shouted that Edenfield's lawyer, Richard Allen, has only seen her sister twice in the nearly five years she's been jailed awaiting trial and had left her essentially defenseless.

"She doesn't even get a chance to defend herself?" Phillips yelled.

Jail records, however, show that Allen repeatedly visited Edenfield throughout her incarceration. Allen attempted to respond to Phillips' accusations but Scarlett silenced him to try to prevent the situation from escalating.

Phillips also accused Glynn County police Capt. Marissa Tindale of spraying Lysol on her sister while questioning her about Christopher's disappearance and death.

At that point, Rodriguez leapt to her feet on the other side of the courtroom and shouted at Phillips, "What about Christopher?"

Taken aback, Phillips yelled, "I'm so sorry about that. It's not her fault. Peggy doesn't even know what an indictment means."

Rodriguez then said "Where's my baby? ... Where was his defense from her?"

Bailiffs escorted Phillips out of the courthouse. No charges were filed against her or Rodriguez for their outbursts.

Mike Barrios told the Times-Union that he didn't want any kind of a plea bargain.

"I just can't do no deal with Peggy Edenfield. Christopher wouldn't have wanted me bargaining like that," Barrios said.

Barrios said he is glad that Edenfield won't ever get out of prison, but the plea bargain brings no solace or closure.

"It's good to see that she will die in prison, but she deserves worse. ... Nothing will bring Christopher back," Barrios said from behind the wheel of his car just before driving from the courthouse.

Rodriguez told the Times-Union she could accept the plea deal but didn't like it.

"I feel like Christopher got some justice today. ... She's gone for good, now. She won't ever get out to do this to someone else's innocent baby," Rodriguez said.

2 counts dismissedEdenfield faced trial on two counts of felony murder and two counts of child molestation along with single counts of false imprisonment, first-degree cruelty to children, tampering with evidence and concealing the death of another.

She was charged with causing Christopher's death two ways: first by encouraging or helping her husband, David, and their son, George, sodomize and choke him, and secondly by keeping him inside the Edenfield home while he was molested and killed.

The uncertainty that a felony murder conviction would withstand a legal challenge on appeal prompted prosecutors to dismiss those two counts, Special Assistant District Attorney John B. Johnson told the court as he asked Scarlett to accept it.

"She did not actually kill Christopher," said Johnson, citing the evidence which showed that Edenfield masturbated while the boy was molested and strangled, and kept him from fleeing but didn't physically cause his death.

The evidence was clear, however, that Edenfield did nothing to help the Brunswick kindergartner when he cried out in fear and pain and begged "Help me ... he's hurting me ... No ... Let me go," while he was molested and choked, Johnson said, relating Edenfield's statements to police and her testimony during her husband's trial.

Body was hiddenAfter the boy was dead, Edenfield used bleach to clean fingerprints and DNA off his body. She then helped her husband and son hide his body. Later, they moved it because they feared George Edenfield would lead police to it, Johnson said.

"We were not able to seek the death penalty against her," said Johnson, noting the evidence did not meet Georgia's legal standard for the death sentence.

Turning toward Edenfield, who showed no expression, Johnson told her: "Mrs. Edenfield, I'll tell you right now, I expect you to die in prison."

The 60-year sentence, Johnson said, is twice the minimum of 30 years that Edenfield would have served before becoming eligible for parole if she had been convicted of felony murder.

Allen asked Scarlett to show his client mercy. He cited a report from a state psychologist who examined Edenfield to determine if she was mentally competent to stand trial.

He noted the psychologist said Edenfield is mentally competent, however, her IQ of 62 means she also is mentally retarded.

Allen said the report contained mitigating factors that would explain why Edenfield masturbated while Christopher was molested and strangled, although he did not detail those factors.

Edenfield replied "yes, sir" when Scarlett asked if she understood and was guilty of the offenses she was charged with.

She also told the court she was satisfied with Allen's representation, just as she has said at every hearing in the case.

Scarlett made no comment as he sentenced her to the consecutive, maximum prison terms on each of the five counts she pleaded guilty to.

After the sentencing, Tindale said she never sprayed Edenfield with Lysol. Tindale, who supervised the investigation into Christopher's slaying, said she did disinfect the interview room after Edenfield left it.

Christopher disappeared while playing outside at Canal Mobile Home Park on March 8, 2007. Police recovered his nude, decomposed body a week later inside five black plastic garbage bags in woods about two miles from the park.

The three Edenfields were the boy's neighbors.

David Edenfield has been on Georgia's Death Row since shortly after a jury found him guilty of malice murder in October 2009.

A convicted child molester, George Edenfield, remains in a state mental hospital undergoing treatment until psychologists determine he is competent to stand trial.

MORE TRUTHS YOU WON'T LIKE (evidence for you uneducated folks that claim to be Ms. Sue Rodriguez):"There are over 110 sex registered sex offenders in the county. One of those offenders is his father, Christopher who was convicted of Statutory Rape." Oops...courtesy of Georgia's Sex Offender Registry....do the research yourself. His mother, Latrina Keith has extensive criminal history including kidnapping, prostitution, and theft by conversion. Sorry but the facts are the facts. Truth hurts. Poor child never had a fair shake at having a good life.

this is for hewhoknows you dont know a dam thing you are talking about give me your name an i WILL take you to court you WILL prove every thing you have posted you are a DIRT BAG JUST LIKE THE EDENFIELDS i am sue rodriguez CHRISTOPHERS G-MA

Well this woman, even though I was taught to respect my elders, is nothing more than trash herself. According to her husband's testimony, while they were molesting and murdering the poor child, she was "touching herself" (her husband's words). Now, she can touch herself every night.

I remember when Christopher went missing - I had just recently moved back home to Jacksonville. Photos of that innocent beautiful little boy on the news and me praying for a safe return. To know that not one, but three adults had a part in his death is one of the most sickening sobering thoughts to grasp. When you fail to be productive to the world around you and you cause such devastating harm - you should loose your right to breathe the same air as the "normal" people. To know she had the power to let Christopher return home and she did nothing but contribute to his death - well, let it be said that I hope that she gets the same treatment in prison that she allowed Christopher to receive.....NO MERCY. Christopher rest easy angel...God has you in his arms and no one else can harm you now.